Saturday, May 30, 2009

ENVIRONMENTALIST PRODUCTS!!





About Conserve

It’s not paper. It’s not cloth. Neither is it some new fancy DuPont material.
It’s recycled polyethylene bags!
CONSERVE, a non-profit organisation, using a blend of creativity, design & innovation has turned, what was once a dull environmental hazard, into a clean, funky, and fashionable material, from which have been crafted a range of appealing handbags and fashion accessories.
We don’t just stop there! With the support of the Asian Development Bank, we are currently working on a project to generate income, through the production of this material, for the less advantaged communities in Delhi.
We’re sure you and your customers are going to love this exciting new product. We hope that you, like our many other buyers, will also support our efforts to help save the environment while providing a source of income to the urban poor.
- Let us be real muslims and take care of our god given environment

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Lets recycle


Arts & Crafts

These baskets are just too cute..



I just absolutely adore colors papers!!
currently, i'm gaga over ribbons -- the decorative types!!

mind you, most of my money are spent on craft products...

Sunday, May 24, 2009

The Hijab Monologue




And say to the believing women that they cast down their looks and guard their private parts and do not display their ornaments except what appears thereof, and let them wear their head-coverings over their bosoms, and not display their ornaments except to their husbands or their fathers, or the fathers of their husbands, or their sons, or the sons of their husbands, or their brothers, or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or those whom their right hands possess, or the male servants not having need (of women), or the children who have not attained knowledge of what is hidden of women; and let them not strike their feet so that what they hide of their ornaments may be known; and turn to Allah all of you, O believers! so that you may be successful. . (Qur'an 24:31)

******************************************************************
During my childhood years, I had spent 3 years living in the United States. Yes, I know it’s a mere speck from my already 25 years of life. Yet, that 3 years of my life was during my early teens, when I had turned from someone unaccountable to that threreof.

My family background was a simple one, to say the least. Especially in the aspect of religion. We were the average Malaysian, kelantanese family, leading the traditional – culturally influenced islam.

I myself, am a quiet person, with a heavy mouth to open , much more try to befriend others. However, Allah grants it I have had to move numerous times and had to change to many different schools. And, I have hated going to school ever since kindergarten. I have even skipped going to kindergarten for one month straight and almost everyday I would have 1001 reasons of not being able to make it to school.

But that move the United States had a great impact on me – both unwelcoming and vice versa.

When I was told the news that we had to stay to another country for years, i was too young too comprehend at the time. I was 10 years old at the time and was living in Kelantan. However, prior to moving to US, I would have to stay in Kuala Lumpur first for 6 months. That was my first move to the big city.

Coming from a small place in Kelantan, I was a bit apprehensive and reluctant to start afresh to someplace so foreign and bustling.

I have been introduced to the hijab eversince kindergarten. I was enrolled in an Islamic kindergarten, whereby it was compulsory for the students to wear one. Being still a child, I was not so compliant to it, having taking it off after school and all. But somehow, the road of hijab for me is not altogether straightforward. There are many challenges for a person to wear a hijab…

There are many reasons as to why a woman is resisting to wear a hijab..

“Saya belum sampai seru lagi lah..bila dah sampai seru, nanti saya pakai”

”Yang pentingnya hati...kadang-kadang tu yang pakai tudung tu lah yang banyak mengumpat.”

Those are some of the answers that I have encountered in regards to the hijab..There are many different more answers…but these are the most common ones
......to be continued

Wednesday, May 20, 2009



Apakah yang dimaksudkan dengan kebahagiaan?
Mengejar cita-cita?

Ever since I was little, ambition has always been an integral part of my life. I remember that it was once a big deal to have an ambition. By the time that you were in primary school, the adults at the time would already by then instill you with having an ambition, particularly regarding occupation.

If I’m not mistaken, the most common answer at the time would be either engineer or a doctor. If you would fast forward to this time, I have not the slightest idea what it would be, even though I myself have many more siblings that are in primary school.

Our definition of an ambition is primarily targeted toward our financial security, or perhaps, security as in general. At the time, doctors and engineers ranked first as in the blue collar hierarchy. In simple words, they are equal to being rich. I really don’t know how much truth in it, since if you work in government sector, the basic salary would be pretty much the same as other government officers. The only perks for the doctors, would be the allowances, perhaps. However, do keep in your mind that the allowances, the oncalls in particular, are not worth the pounding headache that comes with it.

For an oncall, doctors are entitled to ( I’m referring to House officers only), rm 100 per call, in which you have to work from 5pm until 8 am onward plus the working hours. Imagine working from 8am until 5pm the next day without stop. In other words, you are working from (24 hours + 8 hours )  a total of 32 hours nonstop for rm 100. or rm 110 for 24 hours (weekend calls ) ..try dividing 110/24 = rm 4.50 an hour. I don’t know whether that counts as expensive labor. Once, I’ve heard a “penceramah” lamented how lowly he was paid, in which rm 50 an hour. Here, us doctors work for rm 4.50 an hour, working in stressful environment, in which in certain circumstances would have to decide a matter of life and death. Pardon me, for my uncouth remarks.

Anyway, back to my original topic, which is ambition. So, many of us would strive hard to reach these ambition of ours. Thus, we toil ourselves in order to achieve our highly esteemed endeavours. But through our journey, some of us may discover that the ambition that we set is not really the one we should be seeking for. The ambition that we have toiled for, is in fact have been a fallacy. Life’s security, is not the end of the life’s journey. Seeking happiness for our own selves by reaping in the dunya’s pleasures is not the ultimate dream.

Our ambition is much more higher than that. Our ambition is set by the All Powerful Creator.

We have to be aware of this and make this to be realized by other people. Or else, those who do not strive in this path, will continue to be deluded by the dunya’s mirage. Inadvertently, this would lead to an unpleasant end.

If we analyze our world today, or even long time ago, for that matter, the hustle bustle of our everyday life would beckon us to indulge in the day to day matter relentlessly, not letting us to engage in a deeper thought of what is really important in our life. What more if we entice ourselves in our nafs desire? Then we would definitely be strayed from the path that has been set to us by the Almighty. Our life would be reduced to making ourselves be constantly in a state of endorphin stimulated.

However, the real world is really the Hereafter…this is only a place where we toil for the sake of the Hereafter.

“Dan orang – orang kafir dan yang mendustakan ayat – ayat Kami, maka mereka akan merasakan azab yang menghinakan.

“ dan orang – orang yang berhijrah di jalan Allah, kemudian mereka terbunuh atau mati, sungguh, Allah akan memberikan kepada mereka rezeki yang baik (syurga). Dan sesungguhnya Allah adalah pemberi rezeki yang terbaik.”

In the end, it’s either syurga or the Hellfire. There is no in between.
We may know this theoretically..but is it felt by us? Do we REALIZE it? If we ask people, I would think that almost everybody would agree to this fact. Yet the problem is, the realization or the feeling is nevertheless low among us.

Many a times, we fail to inculcate this feeling towards our youths today. The system does not allow us to spend time to instill the value. The system today would only allow us to KNOW but not to FEEL. To be EDUCATED but not to be TARBIYYAH”ed or TRAINED. To be AMBITIOUS but only for certain aspect..

Wallahu’alam…


Time sure flies by …

It seems like it has been just recently that I first entered the university days, upon my first footsteps to the Matrics. Yet, it has been almost 8 years ago since those memorable years of my life.

Do you still remember when you first entered the university? At the time, we were all full of dreams and high hopes. Idealistic. Full of expectations and anticipation.

I’ll be turning 26 this year. I don’t know whether I can say that I have fulfilled my expectations that I had previously emancipated before.

But youth is really one of the most productive years in our life. In a mere 4 years, I’ll be turning the big 3-0..What have I done so far that can be brought back to the Almighty as that I am able to enter the Jannah?

Sometimes, as I look around me..there are so many things going on..so many people..with so many different stories to tell..

But inreality..there is only one outcome – one golden dream à To seek out Allah’s redha and subsequently enter the heaven.

Yet, these surrounding of ours are a delusion, a mirage of hedonistic’s pleasure.

Many a time, our life is not driven by the wants and feeling of needing to seek out Allah’s pleasure.

What is our motive in deciding our decision everyday? What is our guiding principles in foretelling our happiness?

Is it enough that at the end of the day, we are able to go back early from work and able to see our family?

Is it enough that we are able to eat our meals, without going hungry? Or able to go out to watch the movies and hang out with our friends? Or spend the day at a nice cozy place so that our minds would be relaxed?

However, there are some people with a vision , who intends to seek out a higher place, to constantly improve their position – interms of their role – in can either be the formal postion in the workplace, or simply the society. Some of these people, do not need a special recognizition for their work.

Many of us would like to seek out a higher position, because of the monetary benefits that one is entitled to. It can also be due to the extra time that one is able to spend once they go to the next level. Reduced in working hours, yet there is increment of pay. But with higher level, comes higher responsibility.

Despite all this, there exists some individuals who work without the reason of monetary benefits or the extra allowance. They work because of their belief.

These individuals are a godsend for us actually. Many of us fall prey to the neverending propagandas of a few enemies that have certain agendas.

It is saddening to see the current phenomenon that is invading our youths. So much emphasis is being put on to become a highly commercial individual.

One needs to be able to sing,dance, physically attractive, socialize, cool and what not. They also put a prize on how much grade A’s that you are able to score. Yet, the portrayal of good morale is beckoned, pushed further out from the limelight.

Morality, visionaries, iman, hardwork, belief ..all these are not enforced and inculcated into our current trend. Lest, we are left with the feeling of self worthy , wearily dissolving ourself into self absorbed individuals who are unable to empathize with others, except for our own self and our own family.

We are living our lives as if we are not dying. We are being deluded that since we are still young , we are to live our life as we want. Slowly, we are crossing away from the path of Rasulullah and the sahabah..from the guiding principles of the Quran.

Al Lail

Demi Malam apabila menutupi (cahaya siang)

Demi siang apabila terang –benderang

Demi penciptaan laki-laki dan perempuan

Sungguh, usahamu memang beraneka macam

Maka barangsiapa memberikan (hartanya di jalan Allah) dan bertakwa

Dan membenarkan (adanya pahala) yang terbaik (syurga)

Maka akan Kami mudahkan baginya jalan menuju kemudahan ( kebahagiaan)

Dan adapun orang yang kikir dan merasa dirinya cukup (tidak perlu pertolongan Allah)

Serta mendustakan (pahala) yang terbaik

Maka akan Kami mudahkan baginya jalan menuju kesukaran ( kesengsaraan)

Dan hartanya tidak bermanfaat baginya apabila dia telah binasa

Sesungguhnya Kamilah yang memberi petunjuk

Dan sesungguhnya milik Kamilah akhirat dan dunia itu

Maka Aku memperingatkan kamu dengan neraka yang menyala –nyala….(1 – 14)

Dan akan dijauhkan darinhya (neraka) orang yang paling bertakwa

Yang menginfakkan hartanya ( di jalan Allah) untuk membersihkan dirinya

Dan tidak ada seorang pun memberikan suatu nikmat padanya yang harus dibalasnya

Tetapi (dia memberikan) itu semata-mata) kerana mencari keredaan Tuhannya Yang Maha Tinggi

Dan nescaya kelak dia akan mendapat kesenangan ( yang sempurna) ( 26 – 21)

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Drill it to the bone..


There's always a first time for everything. I had just finished my oncall today. As i was 2nd call, my calls were that of being involved in the operating room. The last case finished at 4.30 am today. Finallly, I had managed to actually insert a tibial pin for a patient with a closed fracture of right femur. My medical officer was patient enough as to stoodby and observe the procedure even though she was unquestionably exhausted.
I had feared for this moment, to tell you the truth. The thought of drilling a pin through someone's bone is not something that is enjoyable to do, to say the least. What more if i have not even observed this kind of procedure.
previously, during medical school, it was such a horrible thought to even do a venepuncture to a person, what more to insert a branula. But ever since working as a house officer, there are so many unimaginable things that we are expected to do. Even more so when you are posted to a posting that is surgical based - namely in orthopaedics, wehreby you have to do all the invasive procedures - incision and drainage, amputations and all the screw fixationan and plating.

But one thing that i realized about the human body, is that it has so many similarities to that of a machine. The only thing is that 'we are a living' machine, with the ability to think and feel.
I mean, like a machine, when we have a broken bone, there are many instances that it is still fixable, such as manipulating the fracture or inserting a wire, or fixing with a screw and plate. It is quite amazing to actually know that our bones can be fixed with a screw or a plate.

With that in mind, it just makes you realize that we are actually a living machine --> and machines are built with a purpose...for the creator..
And what about us? THat means that we are in fact built for a reason and we have a higher subordinate to follow to...

Friday, May 15, 2009

Al-Qaradhawi: Tidak Boikot Produk Israel dan AS Dosa Besar

Oleh: Tim dakwatuna.com

Kirim
DR. Yusuf Al-Qaradhawi

Dr. Yusuf Al Qardhawi

dakwatuna.com - Kembali Syaikh Dr. Yusuf Al-Qaradhawi, Ketua Persatuan Ulama Internasional menunjukkan pembelaannya yang tegas terhadap penderitaan rakyat Gaza, kali ini beliau memfatwakan keharaman jual-beli produk-produk Israel dan Amerika. Ia mengatakan dalam salah satu khutbah tentang problematika boikot ekonomi terhadap pihak-pihak yang memusuhi umat Islam yang dilansir oleh situs resmi beliau.

Al-Qaradhawi menegaskan:

“Ada jihad ekonomi, yaitu kita membuat fatwa, fatwa yang saya keluarkan bersama sejumlah ulama tentang keharaman jual-beli produk-produk Israel dan Amerika. Boikot, boikot semua produk-produk Israel dan Amerika adalah merupakan kewajiban setiap umat. Semua yang berbau produk Amerika.”

Beliau mengisyarakatkan bahwa kata “coca cola” berarti Amerika, Burger, Mc Donald, Pizza Hut, semua itu produk-produk Amerika.

Setiap kali saya melihat produk-produk ini dada saya bergemuruh, jiwa saya meronta, kami ingin umat memboikot produk-produk ini. Bahkan cannel tv BBC, mobil sampai pesawat boing. Kami menghimbau pemerintah dan rakyat agar segera memboikot produk-produk ini, dan agar dibentuk semisal komisi atau panitia khusus untuk mengevaluasi sejauh mana efektifitas gerakan boikot dan penentuan skala prioritas boikot. Setiap produk yang ada gantinya, wajib diboikot. Apa yang menjadikan kita memiliki mobil produk Amerika, padahal kita mampu membeli mobil dari Jepang dan Jerman?? Kita tidak akan rugi sama sekali. Boikot ini hukumnya wajib bagi semua, baik sekala besar maupun kecil.”

Lebih lanjut beliau menegaskan:

“ Kami menghendaki umat Islam, laki-laki dan perempuan, ibu-ibu rumah tangga agar tidak membeli produk-produk Amerika. Boleh jadi ada produk-produk Israel dengan label lain, karenanya siapa yang mengetahui itu, wajib baginya untuk memboikot, hukumnya haram. Bahkan merupakan bagian dari dosa besar membeli produk-produk itu di masa sekarang ini. Ini bagian dari jihad yang ada dalam Islam, harus kita lakukan dan beritahu orang lain.”

Senarai brand dan syarikat zionis

http://www.inminds. co.uk/boycott- brands.html

Friday, May 8, 2009

Tragic Accident


Ring!..Ring!

"There's a case at Emergency Department at IC, room 5.." my Medical Officer informed

"Okay boss..coming".. I rushed again to level 2, which is becoming a bit too familiar today.
When I had reached the room, i opened up the curtain that covered the patient inside. There was a young man, in his 20's, with his left leg enclosed within an immibolizer. The wound was an enormous one, exposing his muscle, tendon and bone. Blood was oozing, soaking extensively the gamgee and gauze beside it.

Oh my ...

" We need to clean this wound, and get a closer look whether there's an arterial injury or not. Make sure that they get the surgical team to see this patient also" ordered Dr Ramlah

I nodded..I quickly got some more gauze and gamgee, dabbing on the blood covering our view of the base of the wound.

The bleeding has considerably slowed down.
"Adik..okay ke?..apa yang berlaku ? " I asked..at the same time just wanting to make sure that the patient is still alert.

"Sakitnya akak!..tolong lah akak...tolong saya..tak tahan dah ni..saya accident tadi" moaned the patient

" Staff nurse, get 7 bottles of normal saline. We need to irrigate this wound now. Has the ATT injection given?" Dr Ramlah voiced

beep beep...the monitor showed that the blood pressure was dropping to 90/50..

"did you guys order blood for this patient? We need to get 2 pints Whole blood stat!"

They clamored to get the blood immediately, and the rest of the staff continued with resuscitation and irrigation. The intravenous drip was replaced with gelafundil.

Vital signs stabilized. The patient's heart rate no longer was tachycardic and blood pressure picked up.

The rest of us were looking at the wound and searched extensively whether there was an arterial injury. The surgical team came and reviewed the patient. The pulses were palpated. Feeble.

" Do a doppler and inform us " ordered Dr Indera and left us to handle patient
Soon, we packed up the wound and sent the patient to the x-ray department.

************************************************************
"hmm..The tibia is badly comminuted. Probably he'll need an interlocking nail later. For now, post the case for wound debridement, tendon and muscle repair and external fixator. Make sure he's stable first. "

The mother of the patient was looking from the side. Her face distraught...with tears running down to her cheeks.

She was explained regarding the situation of her son. She nodded.

" Saya setuju saja dengan apa yang doktor cadangkan. Apa yang doktor rasa terbaik, saya ikut"..

I was heartstricken when i heard the all too familiar phrase.

I dont know whether it has been uttered in the television, but i notice that those words are the exact same words that so many of the patients use..Exact same words.

Being in this field, when patients put their trust in you, it just gives you this heavy burden on you to be responsible to the patient to the end.

When the patient was stabilized and subsequently taken to the ward, it was already midnight at the time. We were waiting for the operation theater to call us for this case.

I was too tired and exhausted after a nonstop admission today. Nonetheless, there were still so many patients that have not been reviewed since evening since i was stuck at the emergency department. it was already 1130 PM.

"Doctor, the patient from ED just now..his Blood pressure is dropping again. The bandage was soaked.."

oh no ..not again..

We attended to the patient again and once more resuscitated him ..Alhamdulillah, with Allah's grace, he had improved and finally i was able to continue my work.

Unfortunately , it means breaking the bad news to the other patients who were waiting for emergency operations today that their cases were cancelled.

I approached one of the patient..

"Assalamualaikum pakcik..mm..saya mintak maaf sangat-sangat..tentang operation malam ni...kita terpaksa tangguh dulu..sekarang ni ada kes yang agak parah kena utamakan dahulu.." I started.

The patient's face fell.

"MAsa ni baru doktor nak bagi tau saya! Dah lama saya puasa!.."

I had expected this.It has happened too many times.
****************************
Even if we are surrounded with so many tragedies that should remind us of the Hereafter..we still fail to enlighten the soul with the remembrance..I am saddened by this event..as how else can a person be as close as to the signs by Allah..yet not able to see that this is infact a calling from Allah? Yet able to not follow the righteous ways..and be reminded that the soul can be anytime called upon to meet his Maker?

"By the sun and its brightness

by the moon as it follows the sun

By the night as its conceals it
By the heavens and Him Who built it

By the earth and Him Who spread it

By Nafs (Adam or a person or a soul) and HIm Who perfected him in proportion

Then He showed him what is wrong for him and what is right for him

In deed he succeeds who purifies his ownself

And indeed he fails who corrupts his ownself

(Surah Ash-shams: 1 - 10)

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

rounds at ICU



Currently i'm in charge of periphery - for Orthopaedics. Thus, my team, which consists of 2 medical officers and 2 other houseman would be the ones to receive referrals from other departments and whenever we are together managing a patient.


Last week and the beginning of this week, there were lot of ICU patients that we have to look upon. Before this, I was not that accustomed to being in the ICU that much. But since last week, we have had to visit the ICU everyday.


ICU stands for intensive Care Unit. This is where all the unstable patients are being managed. Being in the ICU is quite a daunting experience. All the patients there are intubated. The glasgow comma scale being less than 4 and all.


One of the patients that we had planned for instrumentation had passed away 2 days ago. The reason being was severe head injury. She had an alleged Motor vehicle accident. She was a pillon rider on the motorbike. The sad part is that she was only 20 years old.

When they did the brainstem test for the patient, it was positive. It was not surprising that much, since earlier it was already noted that the eyes were dilated and fixed. She also had concurrent problem, implicated with Diabetes Insipidus.


Another patient of mine was a gentleman, of 23 years of age. He was involved in an accident whereby he was riding a large motorbike, a Kawasaki.

The family was from a wealthy one, nonetheless.


Being in the ICU means that you are dealing with patient with poor prognosis. Most of them in comatose c ondition, and many of them may not make it through. Thus, you are surrounded with endless tears from the family members.


I had to get the consent from the family members with regards to proceed with the operation. Almost all of the consented and understand the condition. However, in reality, if you push aside the aspect of work and all, these are human beings, at the peak of their emotions and suffering.

I do not know whether we are all relating to the actual event.


Hospital is a place where there is not much happiness that surrounds it. People come to the hospital in the state of weakness and in need of help. Currently, i have worked 2 months nonstop since i have joined orthopaedics. Day in, day out, night and day..i'm just being cooped in the hospital. InsyaAllah this weekend will be my first weekend off if I'm allowed to. Sometimes, working without rest can do a lot of disaster to your state of being. The spiritual and emotional aspect of the workers would get easily affected.


what i learned most since recently is that it is important that each one of us really take care of what we are being entrusted upon. This means our deen, our life, our family's life and all..


Once we have reached our end, nothing is able to help us , no one can prolong someone's life, even for 1 secodnd, when Allah has decided that our time has come.


We have to ensure that we lead a life that Allah would redha us and doa for a good end..Amin..



***********************************************************************************


Terms :

Intubated:

Endotracheal intubation is the placement of a tube into the trachea (windpipe) in order to maintain an open airway in patients who are unconscious or unable to breathe on their own


Glasgow Comma Scale:

Glasgow Coma Scale or GCS, sometimes also known as the Glasgow Coma Score is a neurological scale which aims to give a reliable, objective way of recording the conscious state of a person, for initial as well as continuing assessment. A patient is assessed against the criteria of the scale, and the resulting points give a patient score between 3 (indicating deep unconsciousness) and either 14 (original scale) or 15 (the more widely used modified or revised scale).
GCS was initially used to assess level of consciousness after head injury, and the scale is now used by first aid, EMS and doctors as being applicable to all acute medical and trauma patients. In hospital it is also used in chronic patient monitoring, in for instance, intensive care.


The scale comprises three tests: eye, verbal and motor responses. The three values separately as well as their sum are considered. The lowest possible GCS (the sum) is 3 (deep coma or death), while the highest is 15 (fully awake person).

Best eye response (E)
There are 4 grades starting with the most severe:
No eye opening
Eye opening in response to pain. (Patient responds to pressure on the patient’s fingernail bed; if this does not elicit a response, supraorbital and sternal pressure or rub may be used.)
Eye opening to speech. (Not to be confused with an awaking of a sleeping person; such patients receive a score of 4, not 3.)
Eyes opening spontaneously

Best verbal response (V)
There are 5 grades starting with the most severe:
No verbal response
Incomprehensible sounds. (Moaning but no words.)
Inappropriate words. (Random or exclamatory articulated speech, but no conversational exchange)
Confused. (The patient responds to questions coherently but there is some disorientation and confusion.)
Oriented. (Patient responds coherently and appropriately to questions such as the patient’s name and age, where they are and why, the year, month, etc.)

Best motor response (M)
There are 6 grades starting with the most severe:
No motor response
Extension to pain (adduction of arm, internal rotation of shoulder, pronation of forearm, extension of wrist, decerebrate response)
Abnormal flexion to pain (adduction of arm, internal rotation of shoulder, pronation of forearm, flexion of wrist, decorticate response)
Flexion/Withdrawal to pain (flexion of elbow, supination of forearm, flexion of wrist when supra-orbital pressure applied ; pulls part of body away when nailbed pinched)
Localizes to pain. (Purposeful movements towards painful stimuli; e.g., hand crosses mid-line and gets above clavicle when supra-orbital pressure applied.)
Obeys commands. (The patient does simple things as asked.)

Monday, May 4, 2009

Dedicated to my friends

My beloved friends - the preclinical years
Just before graduation
Endless struggle...books..books..and of course, patients..


The past 5 yearss....


2 days ago was one of my best friend's wedding..and a reunion all at the same time

It is true that there is great barakah in attending this kind of function, which is highly encouraged in our beloved deen

As we grow older, it seems that we are more absorbed into a world that is strange to us. There is so much daunting experiences and many twists and turns that you have never expected.

A sense of familiarity is indeed a relief for the soul.

albeit we have only been separated for only a mere 8 months, but there are so many new experiences that each of us have gone through that have changed our paths, it seems.

The thing is, for my friends and I, we have been cooped together for almost 7 years. The last 5 years isolated as medical students, have made our ties all the more stronger.
InsyaAllah, the ties will just get stronger...all through the toils and hardship to serve the ummah..

Friday, May 1, 2009

A great loss


The past week of orthopedics has been one crazy and hectic one...Previously, the department has been an uneventful one, to say the least. All of us were a bit complacent.

But since this monday, the scenery has changed , and we were all caught by surprise..


**********************************************************************************


" Have you heard the news?" fidah asked me.


"What?.." i answered, while blankly staring at the computer, trying to get update regarding the blood investigations taken yesterday.


"mm...makcik Minah.." she paused.." She passed away this morning..at 0300H.." she continued, finishing the sentence softly.


" Innalillah.."..I was caught by surprise.


Makcik minah was a patient of mine before i was transferred to another ward. She had sustained multiple fractures and was planned for instrumentation of the lower limb. However, she also had chronic medical illness and her bone was very osteoporotic. But, regardless, the specialist wanted to proceed with the opeartoin. Her conditino has been optimized and she had undergone the opeartion the day before.


" HOw did the family members take it? Where are they?"


" They took it rather roughly,..the son was banging the door .the daguther was so distraught" fidah continued, her voice was wavering this time.


I didn't know how to answer..I was so shocked myself. I was quite attached to makcik minah..her children were always asking questions to me and kept me company during the oncalls. They were nowhere to be seen now.


.........................................................................................................................................................................


Even though in the hospital setting and being in this line of work, death , to me at least, is not something that is to be taken lightly.


There are so many things involved in it.. It marks the beginning of another life for that person. It means the end of the strive that will eventually determine whether you will be going to Paradise or Hellfire.


It means a great loss to the family members. The loss of a loved one. The lost of someone who touches you and gives you smile to look upon another day.


Makcik Minah was a mother to her wonderful children. She was a wife to a great person. She was a sister to her siblings. She was an aunty to her neighborhood. The niche of that person in the world may seem undaunting, but it cannot be denied that she had played a role in this forsaken world.


Sometimes we seldom think that our life is actually a temporary stay--as a mere place for us to strive to get all the "needed points" to reach to the higher limit. Whether we will be granted a place to the Jannah..or otherwise, will be upon Him



" bukankah Kami jadikan bumi untuk (tempat) berkumpul, bagi yang masih hidup dan yang sudah mati"

"Dan Kami jadikan padanya gunung- gunung yang tinggi, dan Kami beri minum kamu dengan air tawar?"


" Celakalah pada hari itu, bagi mereka yang mendustakan (kebenaran)"

"Akan dikatakan " pergilah kamu mendapatkan azab yang dahulu kamu dustakan

Pergilah kamu mendapatkan naungan (asap neraka) yang mempunyai tiga cabang"

"yang tidak menlindungi dan tidak pula menolak nyala api neraka"

"Sungguh, neraka itu menymburkan bunga api ( sebesar dan setinggi) istana,

seakan-akan iring-iringan unta yang kuning

inilah hari, saat mereka tidak dapat berbicara

dan tidak diizinkan kepada mereka mengemukakan alasan agar mereka dimaafkan

celakalh pada hari itu, bagi yang mendustakan (kebenaran)

Inilah hari keputusan, pada hari ini, Kami kumpulkan kamu dan orang-orang yang terdahulu.......(Al-Mursalat : 24 - 38)



# ( all the names have been changed to protect the identity of the real person)